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If ever there was a dog whose prospects looked grim, it was Carson the Shih Tzu. Two years ago, when the three-year-old breeding dog was rescued from a puppy mill in central Minnesota, Carson’s face and underweight body were completely overwhelmed by huge mats of hair, urine and feces. When his rescuers bathed him, they discovered that his eyes had been eaten away by infection. There was nothing left to save: His eye sockets were cleaned out and his lids sewn shut.

Jessica Danielson was on Petfinder.com seeking a companion for her senior pooch Diesel, and although she wasn’t looking for a challenge, she was drawn to Carson’s posting. “I knew I could give him everything he needed. God put him right there and said ‘This is the one. He needs you.’ When I called the rescue to set up a meeting, Carson’s foster mom almost started crying because she thought he’d never find a home.”

“It took almost a year before he would trust me enough to cuddle me, kiss my face, and just feel safe enough to wander the house,” remembers Jessica. In spite of his rough start, Carson is now a very loving and affectionate boy who has taught his new mom, in her words, about “survival, trust, and the real meaning of love!”

Carson’s impact on Jessica doesn’t end there. Now in love with the breed, she went on to adopt two more rescued Shih Tzus—Ernie and Mr. Wiggles—and became a volunteer foster mom for special-needs dogs through Ruff Start Rescue.

Did you adopt a puppy mill dog? Tell us your story by emailing [email protected]. And remember, never buy a puppy in a pet store or online—they almost always come from puppy mills. While a pet store puppy may be hard to resist, purchasing one dooms his parents, dogs like Carson, to lives of cruelty, filth and neglect.

Visit NoPetStorePuppies.com to learn more and take the pledge not to buy anything at pet stores or on websites that sell puppies.

While it’s already a federal crime to actively participate in an animal fight, it’s the spectators who drive the enterprise and make it profitable. This bill would make it a federal offense to attend an organized animal fight and impose additional penalties for bringing a child to a fight.

The Senate passed this bill in the previous Congress, but even with over half the House in support, Congress was unable to pass a final bill. Reintroducing this bill in the early days of the new Congress gives us an opportunity to build on the momentum from the last Congress and help finally close the federal loophole for animal fighting spectators.

Ask your own House representative to support this important humane legislation! Visit the ASPCA Advocacy Center right now to quickly email your U.S. rep in Washington and urge him or her to cosponsor the Animal Fighting Spectator Prohibition Act.

Jennifer Richmond got a very special gift for her birthday 11 years ago. That day, she visited the ASPCA Adoption Center and adopted “the love of her life,” a special kitty named Nicholas.

“He was a small, shy, black-and-white, six-month-old kitten,” Jennifer recalls. “He has grown into the most lovable and sweetest lap cat you will ever meet.”

The two formed a lasting bond that is still going strong today.

“At 11 years old he still has energy to play, calls for treats and purrs so loud it makes you laugh,” Jennifer says.

A few years ago, Jennifer decided it was time for Nicholas to have a feline friend. She visited the ASPCA Adoption Center once again to look for a cat who would be the perfect buddy for Nicholas. Her search was successful—she found Joey, a “rambunctious, gray, three-month-old kitten with more energy than you can imagine.”

“I wasn't sure how all this energy would work with an older cat, but within days they were fast friends,” Jennifer remembers. “They love each other.”

It’s safe to say Nicholas and Joey are two very lucky cats.

“I can’t imagine life without either of them,” Jennifer says. “I am greeted at the door when I get home, and they cuddle during TV time and find their place on the bed when we go to sleep. I can’t thank the ASPCA enough for rescuing them. You have helped create our special family.”

At the ASPCA, we see many feline victims of High Rise Syndrome each year, but perhaps none so lucky as three-year-old Pereque, who miraculously survived a fall from a five-story apartment building window right onto a spiked fence.

After his fall, Pereque’s pet parent rushed him to the ASPCA Animal Hospital, where he underwent surgery with ASPCA Director of Surgery Dr. J’mai Gayle that same day.

Pereque sustained only non-life threatening injuries—in fact, he didn’t even have a broken bone! Fortunately for Pereque, the spikes on the fence just missed his femoral artery, and all of his major organs were unharmed.

ASPCA Veterinarian Dr. Laura Niestat also treated Pereque during his stay at AAH and released him to his pet parent three days later.

“I believe he ultimately did quite well,” Dr. Gayle says.

We’re so glad we were able to treat this resilient kitty when he needed us most!

Oh, the excitement! The Inaugural Parade is getting started in just moments, and the ASPCA is in D.C. to help.

The D.C. Department of Health asked the ASPCA to assist with today’s parade, and we were proud to accept the responsibility. Field Investigations & Response Team members are attending to any animal-related cold weather issues or concerns, and they're stationed along the parade route in case an animal emergency should occur—particularly with any of the more than 200 horses in the parade.

The parade is set to start at 2:36, but those horses—and 40 dogs scheduled to appear on a float—arrived at the staging area hours before their big moment in the spotlight. ASPCA staffers have been with them all day to ensure that they stay happy and healthy.

“I am so happy that the D.C. Department of Health recognizes the importance of providing a safe environment for the animals in the Inauguration Parade, and I’m honored that the ASPCA was asked to take part in this historic event,” Field Investigations and Response VP Tim Rickey told us.